


A Hero's Duty

by 708153



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 18:29:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18266984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/708153/pseuds/708153
Summary: After Arthur is injured a football game Alfred feels it's his responsibility to help him out around school.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't like how I wrote this enough to finish it, so I've totally redone it.

The sound of bickering carried through the school halls, not unusual for Hetalia high. Alfred and Arthur were renowned in the school for their arguments when they weren’t yelling at each other Arthur was fighting with Francis and Alfred with Ivan. Everyone pretty much expected that there would be at least one argument a day and almost everyone had stopped caring. The rugby tea and the football team were the only people still invested in them; it was all due to their competition of sorts with both teams where they both pulling pranks on each other. It wasn’t always harmless jokes either, more than once had both sides seen themselves in the principal’s office.

The football teams most recent prank was the start of their argument. Arthur and some of his teammate had taken Alfred’s, and a few of his teammates, clothes during their pe lesson resulting in the American getting a detention. Honestly, unless the teacher wanted him to come to class naked, there was no way he was going to get there on time! 

Of course, it had derailed into pointless insults; the two blondes kept trading insults each escalating the situation further. Yet before it got too far, teacher stepped in, breaking it up and sending them both on their way. Arthur to his football game and Alfred to his detention so with a shoulder check and Alfred’s snide words of “I hope you fucking break a leg” they went to their respective places. 

Both parties left with lingering anger. Alfred continued to rant to some of his teammate on their trip to the detention room being met with promises to get them back. One teammate even suggested just roughing them up, but they agreed they’d get into too much trouble for that. The worst part of getting detention on this day was that their football team was facing their rival. Almost all of the student body went to the match. It was always exciting due to the games usually being close, but mostly because there was always a fight. It wasn’t uncommon for the team to leave with broken noses and busted knuckles. 

Alfred had been looking forward to it and the fact he was missing it put him in an even worse mood. During his boring detention, he couldn’t help but think of what he was missing causing him to resent Arthur even more. Sure, he’d be able to catch some of the last half of the game but what if there had already been a big fight? Everyone would be talking about it on Monday, and he wouldn’t be able to relate.

As soon as the teacher announced that detention was over the American was out the door and making his way to the football field. The stands were full of people as the game was in full swing, with supporters of each team watching with anticipation as the score showed the teams were tied. Alfred quickly found a spot where he could see the field, and it didn’t take long for him to spot the bane of his high school existence. 

Arthur Kirkland was currently making his way towards the other team’s goal, the ball close to his feet. It was clear that the earlier annoyance from their fight was a benefit to him as he ran with pure determination. However, it seemed that the other team was carrying some aggression of their own when one of the defenders slide into Kirkland’s ankles sending him toppling to the ground. There was a collective gasp among the crowd at the nasty tackle with a few people yelling foul. 

Alfred couldn’t take his eyes away from the player on the ground even as the game descended into a fistfight. After a few seconds of just lying on the ground, Arthur started yelling at the defender before clearly getting ready to throw punches yet as soon as he went to put pressure on his right ankle that plan was quickly forgotten in favour of clutching his leg. 

It wasn’t until after the referee and the coaches broke up the fights that they noticed Arthur still on the floor. At this point, Alfred was ready to jump onto the pitch himself to check the on the other blonde, but a medic eventually made their way over. There were a few minutes of the two talking before they helped the footballer off the field, and the game continued. He was vaguely aware of the defender getting a red card, but by then he wasn’t paying attention to the game. If asked, he would deny being worried about the other boy, but anyone looking at him could see the truth. 

He barely registered when the game finished; he simply left the field with the rest of the crowd without much thought. It was when his teammates came up to him that snapped him out of his trance. “Jones, did you see that? Kirkland just got his ass handed to him!” One of his teammates laughed, giving him a clap on the back. A few of the other made comments on how it looked like it hurt and about the fight yet one who had seen their earlier argument quipped “looks like he really did break a leg,” and Alfred finally felt the realisation dawn on him. 

He jinxed it. In some roundabout and unintentional way, he, the hero, caused Arthur to get hurt. In his typical fashion of getting ahead of himself, during his whole drive home, he was thinking of a heroic way to ‘save’ Arthur despite not even knowing how hurt he was. It was only after talking it through on a video call with his cousin that he came to his conclusion, Matthews concerns ignored as he had already made up his mind. He was going to help Arthur; however, he could until his foot got better.


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as he got to school on Monday, Alfred was on his mission. Arriving early for once he made his way through the halls with ease; if he weren’t so focused, he would’ve marvelled at how empty the school was. His teammates were either not there yet or not expecting him to be there making his self-assigned task that much easier.

He heard the English boy before he saw him. Arthur stood in front of his open locker loudly arguing with Francis; the Frenchman wasn’t making the situation any better either. Instead, he was making the most out of taunting the other male since he couldn’t throw a fist at his face. This was due to the unfortunate crutches that Arthur was struggling with; they were a pair of wooden ones that went under the armpits and made moving drastically more difficult. It didn’t help that they were definitely an old set from one of his brothers.

Ignoring the other twos bickering, Alfred wasted no time interrupting with what many people deemed an obnoxiously loud greeting. Arthur was no exception, “What the fuck do you want Jones, I can’t be arsed with your petty arguments today.” Many would’ve backed off at the venom in the other man’s voice, but that was not going to stop Alfred from helping him.”

“C’mon Artie, relax, I’m here to help you.” He replied easily laughing off the harsh words and skipping over the blatant hypocrisy. At the sceptical look, Arthur shot him he added: “I’m the hero, so it’s my job to help you now you’re even weaker than before!”

The statement caused Arthur to scoff, but before he could deny his help, Francis interrupted. “Ah mon ami, how generous of you. I’m sure Arthur is thankful for your help!” With a small push to Arthurs back, the Frenchman disappeared down the halls, causing the Brit to stumble forward into the taller male. 

“Woah you okay there dude?” 

“I’m fine.” Arthur snapped, shrugging off the hands, steadying him before turning back to his locker. It was then that Alfred really looked at the other man. While he used to be taller than Alfred when they were younger, yet he now had to look down slightly to meet his eyes. Yet Arthur hadn’t changed much since the boy he once knew; his uniform was still immaculate while his blonde hair was untameable. He still had the light freckles dusting his skin, and his eyes even carried the same fire that Alfred loved to see. However, the walking boot on his foot was the reason he was there. 

“Congrats on the win by the way.” He smirked, defaulting to his usual teasing. After Arthur got injured another student, Antonio scored the winning goals. It was undoubtedly a sore spot for Arthur as the two were always at competition and the glare the Brit shot him served as confirmation. Instead of replying the other man simply muttered curses about the game as he struggles to hold his books while balancing the crutches.

In typical Alfred fashion, he swooped in and took the books himself without warning. It was then he noticed that Arthur was missing his bag. He was pretty sure where the bag was, but he couldn’t help but ask anyway, and the petulant silence from the other man told him all he needed to know. “God, you haven’t changed.” He laughed; Arthur always forgot things when they were younger; he could barely go a day without losing something.

“Just give me my books back.” Arthur indignantly snapped as he slammed his locker and fully turned to face the American.

“No can-do Kirkland, it’s my duty as a hero to help you out.”

“Fucking hero complex.” The Brit muttered before spinning around, as well as he could with crutches, and began hobbling down the hallway. 

Alfred quickly caught up and immediately tried to start up a conversation, yet Arthur ignored in his attempts to make small talk. As he listened to the tapping of Arthurs crutches on the linoleum floors, he felt his mission slowly becoming out of reach. His gut felt like it was twisting in knots, like before he would sit an exam, at the thought of missing this opportunity.

To get away from overthinking the feeling he made another attempt to win Arthur over. “Hey Art,” he said with an unusually sombre tone causing Arthur actually to stop to hear him out. When the Brit raised a large eyebrow in question, he felt an odd pressure on him as this was probably his best chance of helping Arthur out. 

“Look, just let me help you out for today, and if you still can’t stand being near me, I won’t bother you tomorrow.” It was said with an uncharacteristic meekness that surprised the other male if the silent opening and closing of his mouth was anything to go by. “Besides I told you to break a leg, so now you’re my responsibility.” 

“It’s not even broken.” Arthur said with none of his usual venom “and honestly, what kind of ridiculous logic is that?” It was that line that gave Alfred hope, and the rant he had to endure for the rest of their walk to class did nothing to extinguish that. By the time he had to leave to go to his own class, Arthur had begrudgingly agreed to let him help.

Since the match on Friday, this was the first time that the pit in his stomach disappeared. He’d spent his whole weekend filled with restless energy and with the want to fix Arthurs injury, he even considered going over to his house to check on him, but his brother convinced him that the wasn’t the best idea. It didn’t mean he was going to acknowledge why he was feeling like this, according to Matthew, he shouldn’t care so much about what happened to his ‘enemy’. There wasn’t anything expected on him, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling he needed to do something. As he reached his class, he decided to chalk it down to it being no fun to tease Arthur when he wasn’t fighting back and leave it at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is pretty much an au where Arthur doesn't own a bag

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic, I really don't know how long it's going to be yet because I'm a disaster who likes to write longer stories. I'll try update it like every week and might change it up but no promises.  
> Feel free to leave comments!


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